Depending on your industry, needs, and structure, the kind of crane best suited for your project will vary. But determining the exact type of crane you need can be intimidating if you don’t first understand the different crane categories that exist, as well as their industrial applications.
To help you determine which crane is most suited for your industry, we’ve put together a short guide.
The standard bridge crane is designed with a mobile beam called a “bridge” that travels between two stationary runways. Typically, the bridge is constructed as a single or double-girder variation that both have a hoist trolley attached to the bridge that then moves along the span of the bridge itself.
Bridge cranes can have their runways installed onto a building’s supports or attached to the ceiling with a mount.
Used for a variety of purposes, bridge cranes get the most use in manufacturing to lift and transport heavy materials.
And while a single-girder bridge crane is often easier to install, they’re best used if your facility’s length does not exceed 65 feet, and if you are lifting less 15 tons or less. Anything more, and your projects will be better served with a double-girder design.
Gantry cranes are often used for unloading shipping containers, assembling large parts, and can even be used for HVAC installation.
A significant difference between gantry cranes and bridge cranes is gantry cranes are fixed to tall, freestanding wheeled legs, which makes them portable. And, gantry cranes usually have one or several hoists that move along its beam.
Gantry cranes are ideal for projects where you have limited overhead space in your facility and need to operate outside. They can also be suitable for slab handling or moving materials around your facility on a smaller scale.
A type of overhead lift device, jib cranes are basic in design as well as construction, making them simple to operate and easier to maintain than bridge cranes or gantry cranes. Also unlike bridge or gantry cranes, a jib crane is able to move heavy and raw materials in a circular or semi-ciruclar range of motion.
Jib cranes are often designed as freestanding on foundations, but they can also be attached to walls, or even supported by an already installed overhead support beam.
Thanks to their moveable hoist, jib cranes are versatile and well-suited for a variety of uses. They’re especially helpful in smaller work areas in which specific and repetitive lifting tasks are needed to maintain productivity.
Workstation cranes have a similar design as bridge cranes as they both have a moveable beam that travels back and forth between two runways. While workstation cranes are often freestanding just like jib cranes, they can be attached to a building’s supports to clear up additional floor space.
These types of lifting devices are meant to help your team members move parts between different working cells throughout your facility. They can help you lessen your dependence on overhead bridge cranes for simpler, smaller tasks, so you can keep your processes efficient.
When you partner with the experts at T&M Cranes, we strive to understand your specific projects, tasks, and needs so that we can provide the best solution.
While we are equipped to manufacture standard cranes, we can also manufacture custom overhead options to suit your unique requirements. With several categories to choose from and customize, T&M Cranes will help equip your facility with a reliable, CMAA crane.
